I had a good time at the recent opening of “Nobody Loves You,” and so did the rest of the packed house.
This is not a musical likely to win awards, or live to see multiple revivals, or spawn any hit songs, but it is very serviceable, the script is witty, the performers polished professionals who can sing and dance and deliver the laughs.
The plot? The promotional summary says it all: “Boy meets girl. Boy loses girl. Boy goes on girl’s favorite reality dating show to win girl back.”
This is escapist stuff. It’s never dull, the songs are lively if not memorable, the jokes witty in the moment, and the company convivial.
And there are some standout moments, mostly provided by the excellent Jason Veasy as Byron, the MC for the reality dating show. Not quite a newcomer, he has previously appeared on Broadway and at A.C.T. in “A Strange Loop.” In “Nobody Loves You” he gets the show’s best musical numbers, and he makes the most of them, displaying a voice of exceptional range and skillfully mining every laugh. He raises this material well above its pay grade, and will no doubt enjoy a long and successful career.
The rest of the cast delivers plenty of charm and charisma.
“Nobody Loves You,” is good fun, and it will probably please your date.
“Nobody Loves You” plays at A.C.T. through March 30, 2025. For further information click here.
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Rating: *** (For an explanation of TheatreStorm’s rating system, click here.)
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“Nobody Loves You” presented by A.C.T. Book and lyrics by Itamar Moses. Music and lyrics by Gaby Alter. Choreographer: Steph Paul. Director: Pam McKinnon. Scenic Designer: Jason Ardizzone West. Costume Designer: Sarita Fellows. Lighting Designer: Russell H. Champa. Sound Designer; Jessica Paz. Music Director: Jane Cardona.
Cast:
Grips: Sohpia Alawi, Stevie Allan. Megan: Molly Hager. Christian: Seth Hanson. Jeff: A. J. Holmes. Nina/Tanya: Ashley D. Kelley. Dominic/Evan: John Michael Lyles. Samantha: Ana Yi Puig. Byron: Jason Veasey. Jenny: Kuhoo Verma.
Musicians:
Jane Cardona: Keyboard 1/Conductor. Daniel Feyer: Keyboard 2. Christina Walton: Violin. Mike Smith: Guitar. Ami Nashimoto: Chello. Kendra Kop: Bass. John Doing: Drums.
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TheatreStorm is a proud contributing supporter of the 2024-2025 San Francisco International Arts Festival, which celebrates the arts by bringing together a global community of artists and audiences and by presenting innovative projects that focus on increasing human awareness and understanding within and across cultures.
For a full schedule of the 2024/2025 San Francisco Arts Festival, click here.
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